Tumbling barrel for washing machines



Jan. 16, 1934. c, mm 1,943,709

" TUMBLING BARREL FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed April 8, 1933 Patented Jan. 16, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlc TUNIBLING BARREL FOR WASHING MACHINES Application April 8, 1933. Serial No. 665,067

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a tumbling barrel for washing machines, more particularly for machines of the types employed in laundries and commercial cleaning establishments.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a tumbling barrel which will be much more efficient in its cleansing action than the barrels at present in use.

Another object is to provide a barrel which will be very effective in its operation, but which will not wear or tear the clothes being washed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a barrel which can be easily and cheaply manufactured, yet which will be very rugged and substantial in construction.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and emciency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved barrel partially broken away to. show the interior construction thereof.

Fig. 2 is a cross section through the barrel of Fig. 1, taken on the line 22, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section through the edge of the improved barrel.

The barrel comprises a sheet metal cyinder 13 closed at its extremities with two circular end plates 10 and 11, preferably of Monel metal or similar rustless material. A flanged shaft boss 18 is secured to each of the plates by means of which the barrel may be mounted for rotation in the usual washing machine shell. These bosses may have any desired design, depending on the type of machine in which the barrel is to be used.

The cylinder 13 is provided with a suitable door 15, through which the clothes to be washed are placed in the barrel. The door 15 is preferably, but not necessarily, provided with suitable hinges 16 and with a suitable locking latch 17.

The cylinder 13 and, if desired, the lid 15 are both provided with a series of spaced apart inwardly extending scoop-shaped, indentations 19 which open through the wall of the cylinder and communicate with the interior thereof.

The interior of the barrel 13 is provided with a plurality of ribs 20 which extend inwardly from the barrel wall and enclose tie rods 21 which tie the two heads 11 and 12 together. Arcuate, perforated plates 22 are positioned between the ribs 20 and extend longitudinally throughout the barrel 13. The plates 22 are secured at their edges as shown at 23, to the barrel wall and curve inwardly to form water chambers 24 about the barrel. This construction may, if desired, be carried over the door 15 also. It will be noted that the scoops 19 open into the spaces between the plates 22 and the wall of the barrel 13.

The ribs 20 and the perforated plates 22 terminate short of the ends of the cylinder 13 and form an abutment against which the circular end plates 10 and 11 are clamped by the tie rods 21. After the end plates are in position, a metallic ring 12 is placed against each of them to hold the edges of the end plates in place. The rings 12 fit snugly into the ends of the cylinder 13.

After the rings 12 are in place, the edges of the cylinder 13 are rolled inwardly, as shown at 25, to clamp the rings 12 in place. This also forms a smooth rounded edge which will not catch or tear the clothes being placed in or taken from the barrel. The assembly is completed by slipping annular bands 14 over the extremities of the cylinder and riveting these bands through the cylinder to the rings 12, as shown in Fig. 3.

It of course will be understood by those skilled in the art that the barrel rotates or oscillates in a washing tank immersed in cleaning fluid, soapy washing solution, or rinsing water. As the barrel rotates or oscillates, the clothes will be tumbled from one perforated plate 22 to another and will be lifted and dropped by the inwardly projecting ribs 20 so that a simultaneous rubbing and impacting action will be imparted to the clothes.

As the barrel rotates in the solution or water, the latter will be scooped into the indentations 19 to fill the water chambers 24 between the plates and the wall of the barrel. The water in the chambers 24 will be elevated as the barrel rotates and will stream through the perforations. in the plates 22 and shower upon the clothes contained within the barrel, constantly washing them free from loosened foreign materials.

It will be noted that the scoop-shaped indentations 19 open in opposite directions in each of the water chambers 24 so that the water will be collected into the chambers 24 regardless of the direction of rotation of the drum. It will be also noted that these indentations are positioned in staggered relation so that the water rushing into one of them cannot immediately rush out an- Oil other, but must percolate through the perforated plates 22.

The lifting and showering action of the improved barrel makes it unnecessary to immerse it deeply in solution during the washing action. If the water in the washing machine shell is kept approximately at the level indicated by the line A, Fig. 2, a very satisfactory action will be attained. It will be noted that under these conditions there is no pool of water in the bottom of the barrel to act as a cushion for the falling clothes. The clothes fall directly against the perforated plates or against each other so as to receive an eficient pounding, rubbing, and squeezing action, unhindered by floating which quickly loosens the contained dirt.

The loosened dirt is quickly washed away by the constant shower of solution through the perforated plates 22. The small amount of solution required results in a great saving of water or cleaning fluid, soap and time. The barrel should be set sufficiently high in the shell of the machine to prevent the depressions 19 from scooping up the settled dirt and foreign materials.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is de sired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A tumbling barrel for washing machines comprising: two circular discs; supporting means at the centers of said discs; a perforated sheet metal cylindrical shell secured around said discs, said discs forming heads in said shell; means carried by said shell for preventing said discs from passing into said shell; and tie-bolts extending from disc to disc through said shell to maintain said discs against said latter means; ribs secured to the inner wall of said shell and extending inwardly and about said tie bolts so as to form inwardly projecting shelves therein; and inwardly curved perforated plates positioned between said ribs in spaced relation to the Wall of said shell.

2. A tumbling barrel for washing machines comprising: two circular discs; supporting means at the centers of said discs; a perforated sheet metal cylindrical shell secured around said discs, said discs forming heads in said shell; means carried by said shell for preventing said discs from passing into said shell; and tie-bolts extending from disc to disc through said shell to maintain said discs against said latter means; ribs secured to the inner wall of said shell and extending inwardly and about said tie bolts so as to form inwardly projecting shelves therein; and inwardly curved perforated plates positioned between said ribs in spaced relation to the wall of said shell, said perforated plates being secured to said shell lengthwise along the side edges.

3. A tumbling barrel for washing machines comprising: two circular discs; supporting means at the centers of said discs; a perforated sheet metal cylindrical shell secured around said discs, said discs forming heads in said shell; means carried bysaid shell for preventing said discs from passing into said shell; and tie-bolts extending from disc to disc through said shell to maintain said discs against said latter means; ribs secured to the inner wall of said shell and extending inwardly and about said tie bolts so as to form inwardly projecting shelves therein; inwardly curved perforated plates positioned between said ribs in spaced relation to the wall of said shell, said perforated plates being secured to said shell lengthwise along the side edges; and inwardly depressed indentations formed in, and opening through, said shell into the space between said perforated plate and the shell wall.

4. A tumbling barrel for washing machines comprising: two circular discs; supporting means at the centers of said discs; a perforated sheet metal cylindrical shell secured around said discs, said discs forming heads in said shell; means carried by said shell for preventing said discs from passing into said shell; and tie-bolts ex tending from disc to disc through said shell to maintain said discs against said latter means; ribs secured to the inner wall of said shell and extending inwardly and about said tie bolts so as to form inwardly projecting shelves therein; inwardly curved perforated plates positioned between said ribs in spaced relation to the wall of said shell, said perforated plates being secured to said shell lengthwise along the side edges; and inwardly depressed indentations formed in, and opening through, said shell into the space between said perforated plate and the cylinder Wall, said indentations being positioned in staggered relation about said cylinder.

5. A tumbling barrel for washing machines comprising: two circular discs; supporting means at the centers of said discs; a perforated sheet metal cylindrical shell secured around said discs, said discs forming heads in said shell; means carried by said shell for preventing said discs from passing into said shell; and tie-bolts extending from disc to disc through said shell to maintain said discs against said latter means; ribs secured to the inner wall of said shell and extending inwardly and about said tie bolts so as to form inwardly projecting shelves therein; inwardly curved perforated plates positioned between said ribs in spaced relation to the wall of said shell, said perforated plates being secured to said shell lengthwise along the side edges; and inwardly depressed indentations; formed in, and opening through, said shell into! the space between said perforated plate and the shell wall; with adjacent lines of indentations e opening in opposite directions.

CHARLES L. WILKINS. 

